Springfield grad Perdue named top player in Horizon League

The senior is averaging 19.5 points and 3.3 assists for the Vikings this season
Green Bay guard Callie Genke, left, attempts to steal the ball from Cleveland State guard Mickayla Perdue as she drives to the basket during the first half of an NCAA basketball game for the women's Horizon League Conference championship, Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Green Bay guard Callie Genke, left, attempts to steal the ball from Cleveland State guard Mickayla Perdue as she drives to the basket during the first half of an NCAA basketball game for the women's Horizon League Conference championship, Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

CLEVELAND — Springfield High School graduate Mickayla Perdue was named the Horizon League Women’s Basketball Player of the Year on Monday afternoon.

Perdue, a fifth-year senior, averaged 19.5 points per game and 3.3 assists per game for the Vikings (23-8) this season. She’s the fifth player in program history to earn Horizon League Player of the Year.

In addition to Player of the Year honors, Perdue also earned a spot on the Horizon League First Team for the second straight season.

Perdue is the Springfield girls basketball program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,482 points. She also holds the career mark for made 3-pointers with 165 and the single-game scoring record of 46 points. She won the Pam Evans Smith Clark County Miss Basketball award in 2020.

Springfield High School senior Mickayla Perdue drives to the hoop during the Wildcats game against Triad on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY MICHAEL COOPER

icon to expand image

Perdue began her collegiate career at Toledo, playing in nine games as a freshman before redshirting as a sophomore. A year later, she transferred to D-II Glenville State (W. Va.) where she averaged 17.7 points per game and led the nation with 110 3-pointers. The Pioneers went 33-3, falling to eventual national champion Ashland University in the D-II tournament semifinals.

A year ago, Perdue was named the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year. She averaged 17.3 points, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game last season.

Earlier this year, Perdue recorded her 1,000th career point. She’s currently 19th on Cleveland State’s all-time scoring list.

Cleveland State earned the third seed in the Horizon League Tournament and will play an opponent to be determined in a quarterfinal game at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Cleveland. The game will be televised on ESPN+.

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives past Cleveland State guard Mickayla Perdue (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Credit: AP

icon to expand image

Credit: AP

About the Author